Product evaluation system and product evaluation method

Abstract

A product evaluation system and a product evaluation method allow people to quickly, inexpensively, and accurately evaluate large amounts of products including those that do not have information attached in advance in the manufacturing stage. The system comprises an I/O component that functions as a product identification mechanism that identifies product type including at least one of product, product group, product brand, or product category, a characteristic acquisition mechanism that acquires characteristic information of the product, an evaluator that performs authentication and value estimations of products, and a data store that stores information related to the product. The evaluation mechanism performs authentication and value estimations of products based on characteristic information of the product acquired by the characteristic acquisition mechanism, and genuine product characteristic information, counterfeit product characteristic information, and value information and market information for each condition included in the information related to products stored in the data store.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A product evaluation system that evaluates products comprising:
 a product identifier that identifies a type of a product selected from the group consisting of a product, a product group, a product brand, and a product category of said product; 
 a product transport device including a transport assembly; 
 a characteristic acquisition mechanism disposed inside of said transport assembly that acquires characteristic information of said product, said characteristic acquisition mechanism comprising at least a surface roughness measurement device; 
 an evaluation mechanism that performs specific evaluation of said product including authentication of said product; and 
 a data store that stores information related to said product, said information including counterfeit product characteristic information of said product, 
 wherein said evaluation mechanism performs authentication of said product by comparing said counterfeit product characteristic information of said product with said characteristic information of said product acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism, and wherein said product transport device, said characteristic acquisition mechanism and said evaluation mechanism are configured to allow continuous evaluations of multiple products. 
 
     
     
       2. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said information related to said product includes genuine product characteristic information of said product; and 
 said evaluation mechanism performs authentication by further comparing said genuine product characteristic information of said product with said characteristic information of said product acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism. 
 
     
     
       3. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said specific evaluation includes a value estimation of said product; 
 said information related to said product includes value information and market information for each condition on said product; and 
 said evaluation mechanism estimates the value by referencing said value information and said market information of said product based on said characteristic information of said product acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism. 
 
     
     
       4. The product evaluation system according to  claim 3 , wherein a sales price of said product is determined based on a market value of said product in said value estimation. 
     
     
       5. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said specific evaluation includes a value estimation of said product; 
 said information related to said product includes genuine product characteristic information of said product, and value information and market information for each condition on said product; and 
 said evaluation mechanism performs authentication by further comparing said genuine product characteristic information of said product with said characteristic information of said product acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism, and estimates the value by referencing said value information and said market information of said product based on said characteristic information of said product acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism. 
 
     
     
       6. The product evaluation system according to  claim 5 , wherein a sales price of said product is determined based on a market value of said product in said value estimation. 
     
     
       7. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification of the type of the product by said product identifier is performed based on said characteristic information acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism. 
     
     
       8. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said characteristic acquisition mechanism further comprises one or more devices compatible with the type of product identified by said product identifier selected from the group consisting of radiographic test devices, fluorescent X-ray analysis devices, ultraviolet absorption analysis devices, image enlargement processing devices, infrared light absorption/penetration analysis devices, acoustic frequency analysis devices, odor sensors, and reflection coefficient measurement devices. 
     
     
       9. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said information related to said product stored in said data store is updated based on said characteristic information of said product acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism. 
     
     
       10. The product evaluation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said product evaluation system continuously evaluates a plurality of products. 
     
     
       11. A product evaluation method that evaluates products, said method comprising:
 acquiring product characteristic information of a product to be evaluated using a characteristic acquisition mechanism; 
 automatically identifying, using a product identifier, a product type for said product to be evaluated based on the characteristic information acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism, said product type including at least one of a product, a product group, a product brand, and a product category of said product; 
 automatically identifying one or more evaluation tasks to perform on said product to be evaluated, based on said characteristic information acquired by said characteristic acquisition mechanism and information related to said product stored in a data store, said information related to said product including counterfeit product characteristic information of said product; and 
 evaluating the product using an evaluation mechanism having one or more processors operable to execute computer-executable instructions, 
 wherein said evaluating the product includes performing said one or more evaluation tasks on said product, and wherein said one or more evaluation tasks include performing authentication of said product by comparing said counterfeit product characteristic information of said product with said characteristic information of said product acquired in said step of acquiring product characteristic information. 
 
     
     
       12. The product evaluation method according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said information related to said product includes genuine product characteristic information of said product; and 
 said evaluating the product includes performing authentication by further comparing said genuine product characteristic information of said product with said characteristic information of said product acquired in said acquiring product characteristic information. 
 
     
     
       13. The product evaluation method according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said one or more evaluation tasks comprises a value estimation of said product; 
 said information related to said product includes value information and market information for each condition on said product; and 
 said evaluating the product includes estimating the value by referencing said value information and said market information of said product based on said characteristic information of said product acquired in said acquiring product characteristic information. 
 
     
     
       14. The product evaluation method according to  claim 13 , further comprising determining a sales price of said product based on a market value of said product in said estimating the value. 
     
     
       15. The product evaluation method according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 said one or more evaluation tasks comprises a value estimation of said product; 
 said information related to said product includes genuine product characteristic information of said product, and value information and market information for each condition on said product; 
 said evaluating the product includes: 
 authenticating by further comparing said genuine product characteristic information of said product with said characteristic information of said product acquired in said acquiring product characteristic information; and 
 estimating the value by referencing said value information and said market information of said product based on said characteristic information of said product acquired in said acquiring product characteristic information. 
 
     
     
       16. The product evaluation method according to  claim 15 , further comprising determining a sales price of said product based on a market value of said product in said estimating the value. 
     
     
       17. The product evaluation method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 automatically selecting one or more devices compatible with the type of product identified in said automatically identifying step from the group consisting of radiographic test devices, fluorescent X-ray analysis devices, ultraviolet absorption analysis devices, image enlargement processing devices, surface roughness measurement devices, infrared light absorption/penetration analysis devices, acoustic frequency analysis devices, odor sensors, and reflection coefficient measurement devices. 
 
     
     
       18. The product evaluation method according to  claim 11 , wherein said evaluating the product includes updating said information related to said product stored in said data store based on said characteristic information acquired in said acquiring product characteristic information. 
     
     
       19. The product evaluation method according to  claim 11 , wherein said product evaluation method continuously evaluates a plurality of products.